Coiled tube uncoiling device and method



Oct. 24, 1967 H. ZWEB EN I 35 COILED TUBE UNCOILING DEVICE AND METHOD Filed May 21, 1965 United States Patent 3,348,357 COILED TUBE UNCOILING DEVICE AND METHOD Harold Zweben, 69 Beaumont Drive, Plainview, N.Y. 11803 Filed May 21, 1965, Ser. No. 457,719 9 Claims. (Cl. 53-32) This invention relates to a device for uncoiling a coiled tube of material. More particularly the device is used to uncoil a coiled tube and thereafter retain the uncoiled tube in its uncoiled state.

This invention has particular application in the dental art but it can be used in many other fields.

In the preparation of impressions of prepared teeth in the mouth of a patient, the customary method employed uses a plastic composition made from two component parts. The two component parts are mixed just prior to use in a syringe and on a tray in the taking of the impression of the prepared teeth.

The total time for set of the mixed plastic two components varies due to the composition of the ingredients. A convenient setting time is three minutes, so that within this three minute time interval the dentist must load the barrel of the syringe with a spatula or like device and apply the paste to and between the teeth and tray. If more than three minutes are required for this operation the plastic mixed paste sets to a rigid mass in the syringe itself so that removal therefrom becomes impossible.

This invention permits the dentist a maximum of working time with a minimum of inconvenience in the loading of the syringerMoreover, because the syringe is loaded with a prepared cartridge, there is no excess paste to dirty the syringe itself, so that cleaning this syringe after use is an easy matter.

This time savings is elfected mainly by eliminating the packing of the paste in the syringe barrel.

According to this invention, a cartridge is loaded outside of the syringe on the machine of this invention and is then introduced into the barrel of the syringe and the plunger is attached. In use, the plunger forces the paste out of the cartridge disposed in the syringe without touching the barrel of the syringe.

An important feature of this invention is the provision of a device for uncoiling the pre-coiled cartridges and retaining them in the uncoiled state while they are being loaded.

The cartridges are made from coiled metal or coiled plastic material. The coiled material used for making the cartridges is planar and of a length to fit the syringe and machine.

The coil material used is of springy quality, for example, stainless steel, spring steel or plastic so that once the sheet is coiled up it always returns to this pre-coiled state upon release from its uncoiled state.

The sheet material may vary in thickness, but a thin sheet of about 2 to thousandths of an inch is preferred. The coiled sheet has a diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the syringe barrel so that it may be easily inserted into the syringe barrel. Also the inside diameter of the coiled cartridge is provided with a diam eter substantially equal to the diameter of the plunger of the syringe.

In preparingthe coil cartridge of this invention the 3,348,357 Patented Oct. 24, 1967 amount of overlap of the linear edges of the sheet material is made as small as possible.

This invention is described herein by means of an illustrative embodiment thereof, but it is not to be limited to this illustration for it is of greater scope.

The illustrative embodiment of this inventionis shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the uncoiling device show ing an uncoiled sheet retained therein,

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the uncoiling device,

FIG. 3 is a section view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and showing in dotted outline the coiled up cartridge,

FIG. 4 is a detail section view of the clamping means used to clamp an edge of the cartridge,

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the finger operated holding means showing the manner of limiting the amount of captive travel thereof, and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cartridge loaded with paste prior to insertion into a barrel of a dental syringe.

Turning to the drawing, a base support plate 10 is provided with a pair of opposed guide rails 11. A moveable bar carriage 12 is provided with a pair of integral end blocks 13, each having a channel 14 therein adapted to snugly and slidingly engage a respective rail 11 (FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 3, the base 10 is provided at its rear with a vertical recessed wall 15 having opposed channeled portions 15X therein to facilitate insertion of an edge of the coiled tube.

A horizontal channel wall 16 is formed between the bottom of vertical wall 15 and rail 18. A pair of suitable round cavities 16X are disposed in spaced relationship suitably in the horizontal wall 16 and a suitable coil spring 17 is disposed in each cavity 16X.

The base 10 is further provided with a suitable threaded cavity 18.

A clamping bar 20 of suitable width is provided with a pair of co-acting spring receiving cavities 21 each being adapted to mate with cavities 16X and to receive a portion of the spring 17.

A knurled thumb screw 22 having a suitably threaded rod portion 23 is disposed freely through a suitably large aperture 24 in bar 20 and threadingly into a threaded cavity 18X of base 10. Thus suitable turning of the thumb screw 22 movingly tightens the clamping bar 20 to the base 10 against the action of the springs 17.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bar 20 is provided with a slightly upwardly angled edge 26 and with a critical channel 27 adapted to be disposed over the base wall 15. This channel 27 permits the extreme edge 28 of coil 30 to be disposed within channel 27 against the bar 20 thereby permitting the slightly upwardly angled clamping face wall 31 to press down on the smooth surface of the tubular sheet material of coil 30 to effect a rigid seizure at this edge. The angle of the face wall 31 to a horizontal plane is but a few degrees.

When the device of this invention is not in operation the angular clamping face 31 is out of engagement With the base 10 because of the constant upward urging of springs 17 against the clamping bar 20.

In operation as a clamp, the bar 20 engages the rail 18 as well as the coil 30 to effect a firm grasp of said coil 30.

In the operation of this device, the edge 28 of the coil 30 is inserted as far as possible between the face wall 31 3 of bar 20 and the base 10. Next, tightening of the thumb screw 22 causes the clamping bar 20 and thus the clamping face wall 31 to seize the inserted material near the edge 28 of the coil sheet material in a firm and immoveable manner, FIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, the carriage 12 is provided with selectively extendable finger clasps 33 in each of the end blocks 13. The finger clasps are captively retained in the respective blocks by means of a retaining pin 34. T this end, the cylindrical posts 35 of the clasps 33 are provided with a portion 36 of lesser diameter. The walls 37 of this portion 36 limit the movement of post 35 by engagement with the pin 34 fixedly disposed in the base 10.

The posts 35 are each provided with a conical apex 38 to facilitate insertion into the unloaded normally coiled up tube or cartridge 30.

The carriage 12 with both finger clasps 23 fully extended outwardly is moved toward and alongside of the coil 30 the end 28 of which is seized by bar 20.

The two finger clasps 33 are then inserted into the respective ends of the coil and the carriage 12 is then manually moved away from the clamping bar 20 until the carriage bar 39 rides over a conventional spring latch 40 secured by pin 40X suitably to the base and is locked thereto by the vertical latch wall 41 engaging the bar 39 of the carriage 12. In this position (FIG. 3) the free edge 42 of the sheet is partially disposed about the post 35 adjacent the apex 33.

The dental paste mixture is then prepared from its two components and then placed uniformly upon the uncoiled tube adjacent and under edge 42 being careful to apply the necessary amount to fill the cartridge 30 when rolled up.

pon release of the spring latch 40, the carriage 12 is free to move toward the clamping bar 20. The movement of the carriage is energized by the tendency of the spring coil tube to assume its original coiled up condition. However, the coiling up of the paste tilled tube is manually controlled by the operator holding both clasps 33 and is reduced by the friction between the end blocks 13 and the guide rails 11. Thus the speed of recoiling the tube is a controlled speed to insure an even distribution of the paste between the apices 38. When the coiled up tube reaches the clamping bar 20, simultaneous outward pulling of the finger clasps 33 releases them from the carriage bar 12.

Release of clamping bar by turning the thumb screw 22 releases the outer edge 28 of the coiled cartridge so that the cartridge (FIG. 6) is ready for loading into a dental syringe.

After loading in the syring and forcing out the paste by the plunger syringe about the teeth, the empty cartridge being inexpensive can be discarded to leave a. relatively clean syringe.

Clearly, this invention permits a more rapid application of paste having a predetermined setting time than formerly was possible.

This invention has been rescribed by means of an example illustrating the invention. Clearly, its scope is not to be limited to this illustration.

I claim:

1. A device for unrolling a coiled spring sheet and retaining the uncoiled sheet comprising, a base plate having a top flat surface, a clamping bar secured to the front end of said base plate and adapted to seize the outer edge of said coiled spring sheet, a bar carriage slidingly and captively disposed on said plate, a pair of opposed clasp means moveably disposed captively in the opposed ends of said bar carriage and adapted for insertion in the opposed ends of said coiled spring sheet and locking means for securing said carriage to said plate.

2. A device for unrolling a coiled spring sheet and retaining the uncoiled sheet comprising a substantially rectangular base plate having a top flat surface and having a pair of opposed side rails, a clamping bar secured to the front end of said base plate and adapted to seize the outer edge of said coiled sheet, a bar carriage having suitable channels therein slidingly and captively disposed on said guide rails of said base plate, a pair of opposed clasp means moveably disposed captively in the opposed ends of said bar carriage and adapted for insertion in the 0pposed ends of said coiled spring sheet and locking means secured to said base plate for securing said carriage to said plate.

3. A device for unrolling and retaining unrolled a coiled sheet comprising a substantially rectangular base plate having a flat top surface and an integral pair of 0pposed side rails, a clamping bar having a central bar portion and a pair of integral opposed end blocks each block having an aperture therein and having also a channel to engage a respective guide rail of said base plate, a pair of opposed manually and selectively operated clasps each disposed in a respective aperture of said end blocks and adapted to insertingly engage the opposed ends of a coiled sheet, locking means secured to said base for locking said carriage to said plate and a clamping bar secured moveably to the base plate opposite to said carriage for clamping the outward edge of said coiled sheet to said plate.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the end blocks are disposed in forward offset relationship to said bar portion.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the clasp means are substantially cylindrical posts having a cylindrical portion of lesser diameter than either end portion and pin means disposed in each of said end blocks and adapted to engage the lesser portion of said cylindrical posts.

6. A device for securing an edge of a resilient coiled sheet and unrolling said sheet to a substantially flat position comprising a base plate having a flat top surface, a pair of opposing side rails and a recessed front wall portion, a longitudinal clamping bar adapted to be moveably secured to the front of said base plate and extending substantially from side to side of said plate, said clamping bar having a longitudinal nose portion and longitudinal depending bar portion, said nose portion extending over said recessed front wall and adapted to engage an edge of said coiled sheet, a longitudinal bar carriage having offset end blocks, each having an aperture therein and having also a channel for captive sliding engagement with a respective guide rail, manually operated captively retained clasp means disposed in each of said apertures of said end blocks and adapted for insertion into the opposed ends of a coiled sheet and spring locking means secured to the rear of said base plate for locking said carriage in extended relationship to said clamping bar.

7. A device for loading interiorally a cylindrical coiled sheet comprising a substantially rectangular base plate having a substantially fiat top wall and having integral guide rails on each side and a recessed front wall, a longitudinal integral clamping bar having a substantially V- shaped protruding portion therefrom disposed in said recessed front wall of said plate substantially from side to side thereof for clamping said coiled sheet to said plate, spring means disposed between said clamping bar and said plate for urging continuously said bar away from said plate, manual securing means for securing said clamping bar to said plate against the force of said spring means, a longitudinal integral carriage bar having a pair of oifset end blocks, said end blocks each having a guide channel and a suitable aperture, disposed captively and slidingly on said guide rails of said plate, a cylindrical clasp disposed captively and slidingly in each of said end block apertures, and adapted for insertion into a respective end of said coiled sheet and locking means for securing said carriage to said plate against the action of an uncoiled sheet disposed between said clamping bar and said carriage.

8. The device of claim 7 comprising said clamping bar having a suitable longitudinal channel at the clamping end of the protruding V-shaped portion adapted to receive the extreme edge of said coil sheet.

5 6 9. The method of loading a resilient cylindrical single a controlled recoiling of said sheet and releasing said secoil sheet cartridge with paste for use in a plunger opercured outer edge to provide a loaded coiled cartridge ated syringe comprising clamping rigidly the outer edge sultably filled Wlth Said P of said resilient sheet to a stable platform, unrolling the free end of said sheet away from the clamped end by 5 References Cited forcing the free end away therefrom, retaining the free UNITED STATES PATENTS end of the unrolled sheet in a seized semi-cylindrical open 2,118,924 5/ 1938 Henderson 5332 XR position, loading paste upon the open unrolled sheet un- ,120,789 6/1938 Rooth 53-32 der and adjacent to said semi-cylindrical free end, releas- 3,237,796 3/ 1966' Callahan 5332 XR ing said loaded sheet under manual control to effectuate 10 GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner. 

9. THE METHOD OF LOADING A RESILIENT CYLINDRICAL SINGLE COIL SHEET CARTRIDGE WITH PASTE FOR USE IN A PLUNGER OPERATED SYRINGE COMPRISING CLAMPING RIGIDLY THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID RESILIENT SHEET TO A STABLE PLATFORM, UNROLLING THE FREE END OF SAID SHEET AWAY FROM THE CLAMPED END BY FORCING THE FREE END AWAY THEREFROM, RETAINING THE FREE END OF THE UNROLLED SHEET IN A SEIZED SEMI-CYLINDRICAL OPEN POSITION, LOADING PASTE UPON THE OPEN UNROLLED SHEET UNDER AND ADJACENT TO SAID SEMI-CYLINDRICAL FREE END, RELEASING SAID LOADED SHEET UNDER MANUAL CONTROL TO EFFECTUATE A CONTROLLED RECOILING OF SAID SHEET AND RELEASING SAID SECURED OUTER EDGE OT PROVIDE A LOADED COILED CARTRIDGE SUITABLY FILLED WITH SAID PASTE. 